If you’re an avid cycling fan and you’re looking for a new pair of cycling shoes to support your performance while offering comfort and stability, then you’re in the right place.
It can be difficult to know where to start when it comes to finding the best cycling shoes as the market offers a huge range of options.
Here, we’re taking a closer look at some of those options for both indoor and outdoor cyclists, while also giving you the insight into why it’s such an important decision to make.
Indoor Cycling Shoes
When you look for exercise shoes for the gym or running shoes for marathon training, the whole process is a pretty simple one – if they fit nicely and are comfortable, you’re done.
With indoor cycling shoes, it’s not quite as simple as that.
While gender-specific in some cases, the width and size are often the only differentiators in an indoor cycling shoe so choose based on the size and width that you need rather than if they’re ‘made for men’ or ‘made for women’.
Other considerations for your indoor cycling shoes are the cleat types and compatibility with the bike that you are riding.
Some of the best indoor cycling shoes include the breathable NOBULL black cycling shoe, the Nike SuperRep Cycle and the sneaker like TIEM slipstream indoor cycling shoe.
Outdoor Cycling Shoes
Choosing the right outdoor cycling shoes is just as important, as these are the main contact points with the bike.
Your performance needs and your riding style will also influence the type of outdoor cycling shoes that will suit you best, not just the price.
If you’re looking for some lower budget options, then the Boardman Carbon and Bont Motion are good choices.
If you’re looking for more mid-range prices, then the Specialized S-Works. Lace could be the right fit or the Giant Surge Pro.
If you’re looking for an upper-range pair, then Specialized S-Works EXOS are popular choices as they offer a unique design, and a very lightweight option.
Why is finding the best cycling shoes important?
Specifically designed cycling shoes can help to improve your overall performance, comfort on the bike and have a whole heap of benefits for both indoor and outdoor cyclists.
Cycling shoes lock into the bike’s pedal, in a similar way to how ski boots are strapped into skis and snowboards.
This means that you will never have to worry about the pedals spinning out of control underneath you, offering more stability.
This also helps with stronger strokes as the stiff soles offer more power. They also offer more aerodynamic positioning to improve speed.
As you can see, there are a number of important reasons why a cycling shoe is useful, but finding the ones that are right for you, your performance, type of cycling and shape of your foot for maximum performance and comfort is just as important.
As you can see, there are a whole host of benefits to finding the right cycling shoes for you, but remember to always consider comfort as well as matching your performance needs to get the right shoe for you.